Dear Dave,
Let me first start off by saying that I applaud you for not canceling your current tour in regard to you breaking your leg a couple month ago in Sweden. Now most bands would have easily scrapped their foreseeable tour dates, you did not. In fact you came up with a plan to have a throne built to accommodate you and your broken limb. Who does that? Only one of the most respected musicians alive today, that's who. I had a chance to see you a couple years ago in Texas during SXSW while you were promoting Sound City (is everything you touch turn to gold?). I was lucky enough to be chosen in a lottery to see you perform with some of the best musicians on the planet. The Sound City Players as they were called played an epic three hour plus set. Joining you were names like John Fogerty(CCR), Rick Springfield, Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac), Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine), Chris Goss (Masters of Reality), Lee Ving (Fear) and Kris Novoselic and Pat Smear (Nirvana and Foo Fighters). In fact it was single handedly one of the best musical experiences I have ever been part of. Only somebody like you could pull bringing all those names together under the same roof. Listening to you and Nicks perform "Landslide" would give anybody chills down their spine.
You are unlike many musicians, you perform for the fans. Never have I seen anybody of your stature be so dedicated in making sure that whatever you are doing is to satisfy first and foremost those who adore you. That commands a lot of respect. You are the savior of rock and roll, the ambassador of music. A musical genius (Sound City, Sonic Highway), whose projects take on a whole different approach that satisfies your own artistic abilities. One of the best drummers in the world (Nirvana), one of the best frontman's in the world (Foo Fighters), a musical IQ unlike any other. You surround yourself with people who make a difference in the same manner and approach that you do.
Last night I got a chance to photograph you and the Foo Fighters for the first time. It was my first time seeing the band live. My line of work has taken me to places I would never have dreamed of. It has given me an appreciation to capture the moments in music that we can all relive well after the fact when the show is over. A snapshot of those defining moments that will live with us forever. You played on a throne that you designed that had rotating lights, fog, lasers, strobes, guitar head stocks. You sat in that chair and rocked out for your whole set. Considering the energy and showmanship you bring on two healthy legs, I can imagine constraining yourself to this throne and not wanting to stand up (broken leg) and all and pretend nothing was wrong. You whipped your head back and forth reminding us that as long as you have two hands you can still deliver mind blowing riffs. The band was on point every step of the way. You wasted no time getting the party started yelling at the top of your lungs while still being hidden behind an enormous curtain with the all to familiar double "F" logo we have come to associate with the Foo Fighters. As the curtain dropped you went straight into "Everlong" one of the best songs ever produced. You maintained that energy as the band played through the numerous hits we have all grown up singing to word by word. The energy never stopped, heck you even made a grown man cry. It seems wherever you play you create a memorable experience for some lucky fan. You have witty and enjoyable banter in between songs, such in the case as when you introduced your bandmates accompanied by some famous rock and roll songs (see video).
You will alway be my favorite musician and having the chance to capture you behind the lens will always go down as a true memorable experience for me. Maybe one day I will get to meet you and I will thank you for inspiring me to do what I do. Tonight you guys shined! You were a bright beacon that we needed to remind us of the positivity and the power of music. Continue to do what you do and never change Mr. Grohl.
Check out our photo slideshow: Robert Castro
